Detent



Juy i6, H935., H. A. RHINEVAULT DETENT Filed Oct. 26, 1954 @JLM Paiested July 1s, 1935 UNITED STATES DETENT Harry A. Rhinevault, Chicago, Ill., assignorto Armstrong Bros. Tool Co., Chicago, Ill., a `corporation of Illinois Application october 26, 11134;"serial1\ze.r"z5o, `12l1` s claims. iol. 287-119) This invention relates to detents, such, forexample, as, those commonly used in` connection with socket wrenches. For the purpose of connecting the socket head to the handle it is comrmon to provide a spring-pressed ball detent carried by the handle and adapted to spring into an internal recess in the socket head. The ball detent yields to allow the handle to be slipped into engagement with the socket head and yields to allow the handle and socket head to be separated.

'Ihe present invention relates particularly to means for locking the detent after the handle and socket head have been engaged with eachother so as to prevent them from becoming separated until the detent shall have been unlocked, the

object of the invention being to provide improved I means for effecting such locking and unlocking action.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a socket wrench embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, show-'- ing the ball unlocked or free to yield. u

Fig. 3 is a view on the same plane, but showing Athe ball locked against yielding.-

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are views of the locking element taken from different viewpoints.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the use of my invention for locking an extension handle in place.

In Fig. 1, A denotes a socket head commonly termed a socket, and B is a handle for use in turning the socket A. The handle B is herein shown as having a shank of square cross-section adapted to enter a correspondingly formed axial opening inthe socket A.

The means for releasably locking the` socket` A to the handle B comprises a ball I mounted in va transverse cylindrical opening 2 in the shank of `the handle B. The ball I may be prevented in any `preferred manner from escaping from the opening 2, the method commonly employed being to peen the metal of the shank, as indicatedat 3 so as to allow the ball to project partly out of the opening 2. Each wall of the axial opening in the socket A has a recess 4 adapted `to receive the ball I for the purpose of latching the socket on the handle.

` The transverse opening 2 extends to an axial cylindrical bore or opening 5 in'the shank of the handle. In the present instance, the bore 5 is of slightly smaller diameter than the opening 2. The opening 5 extends inwardly from the end of the shank and is of vsuiiicient length to contain a locking member 6 anda spring 'I. The member 6 is of generally cylindrical form to t'slidably and rotatably `within the outer end of the bore 5 and it is urged outwardly by the'spring 'I. In one sidel of themembert` is a recess 8, the inner end Wall 9 of which is inclined at such an angle that when it visi forced into engagement with the ball I` by the spring'lit tends to cam the ball I outwardly yin the opening 2', to the extent permitted by the peened-overV metal 3,into engagement with a recess 4 in the socket A. kWhen the member 6 occupies the angular position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the spring 1, acting through'the cam surface 9 of the member 6, yieldingly holds the ball I in 'latching position,V but the ball will yield to permit the handle to be pulled 01T the socket. In such yielding movement-the member 6 is forced inwardly against the compression of the spring .'l.

Approximately ninety degrees distant from the recess 8 there, is a peripheral recess or groove I Il in the member 6,".said recess communicating with the recess 8. The recess!!! is of such depth that when 4the member 6 is turned approximately ninety degrees tofcarry the recess 8 out of register'with the lball land toplace the `recess Il) in register with the ball, the ball cannot yield and thus the socket is locked against separation from'the handle.y Y

In order that the member 6 may be turned to place the recesses 8 and IB alternately in registration with `the ball I, the outer end of the member', 6 isrprovided with a screw-driver kerf I I so thatthe member 6 may be turned by means of a screw driver inserted into the socket A. When" the member 6 is turnedcounterclockwise from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in :Fig.3, the reaction of the cam surface 9 againstl the. ball causesthe4 member 6 to be Vforced inwardly 'against the influence of the spring I. `.As soon as the recess I0 is in register with the ball, the member 6 is held in such inward position 'through the interengagement between the ballI and the 1 recess ID. When the member 6 is turned clockwise out of the position shown in Fig. 3 to place the recess 8 in register with the ball, the spring 'I advances the member 6 to press Lthe cam surface 9 against the ball and thus again holds the ball yieldingly in its latching position.

It will be noted that the peened-overv metal 3, acting through the ball I, at all times serves to prevent the spring 'I from forcing the member 6 out of the axial bore 5.

It is sometimes desired to employ the present invention in situations where it is impracticable to insert a screw drivel` in an axial direction for the purpose of operating the member 6. In such instances an opening more or less inclined to the member 6 may be provided, an example oi which is illustrated in Fig. 7. In that figure, B represents a handle, the shank of which is adapted to be connected'to an extensionBl. The parts B and B1 are latched or locked together `precisely as illustrated in Fig. 1, access to the member 6 being obtained through an opening or bore'lZ formed in the extension B1, said bore extending at an angle from the surface of the extension to a point within reach of the outer end of the member E. i

While I have herein described in considerable detail one embodiment of the present inventiom it should be understood that the invention is not limited to such details, but includes various modications within the scope of the appended claims. I claim as my invention: 1. The Ycombination of two parts to be locked together, one of said parts having a shank toV a vcam surface, a spring in the axial opening tending to move said member outwardly to force the cam surface against the ball and thus move the ball outwardly in said transverse opening, said member also having a recess located 'approximately ninety degrees away from and'communicating with the rst recess, the' second recess being shallower than the rst recess whereby'when said member is turned to place the second recess in register with the ball Ythe latter is prevented from moving inwardly in said transverse opening, the outer end of said member having a screw-driver kerf.

2. The combination of two parts to be locked together, one ,of Ysaid parts having a shank to enteran Vopening in rthe other part, said shank having a longitudinal opening and a transverse opening communicating therewith, a detent ball located in the transverse opening, a memberof generally cylindrical form slidably and rotatably mounted in the longitudinal opening, saidjmem'- ber having a recess, one end wall of Vwhich con-v stitutes` a cam surface, a spring in the longitudinal openingrtending to move said member outwardly to force the cam surface against the ball and thus move the ball outwardlyfin said trans- Y verse opening, said member also having a periphftudinal opening and a transverse opening Vcomeral recess communicating withthc rst recess, the second recess being shallowerthan the rst recess whereby when said member is'turned to place the second recess in register with the ball the latter is prevented fromV moving inwardly in said transverse opening, the outer end of said member having a screw driver kerf.` y

3. The combination of a parthaving a longimunicating therewith, a detent4 ball located in the transverse opening, a member of generally cylindrical form slidably and rotatably mounted in .the longitudinal opening, said f,memlber hav- 'ing a recess, oneend wall of which constitutes a cam surface, a spring in the axial opening tending to move said member outwardly to force the cam outer end of said member having a screw driver kerf 4; The combination of two parts to be locked Y together, kone of said parts having a shank to enter an opening in the other part, Vsaid shank having a longitudinal opening extending inwardly rfrom the end of the shank, and a transverse opening' communicating with the longitudinal opening, a detent ball located in the transverse opening, amemberof generally cylindrical form slidably lmounted, in the longitudinal opening, said member having a recess, one end wall of which constitutes a cam' surface, a spring in the axial opening tending tojmove said member outwardly to force the camsurface against the ball and thus move the balloutwardly in said transverse opening, said4 member being rotatable` in said longitudinal'opening, whereby when said member is turned to withdraw the recess from register with the ball the latter is prevented fromsmoving inwardly in said transverse opening, the outer end of said member having a screw driver kerf accessiblel from within said other part.

5. The combination of two parts to be locked together, one of said'parts having a shankV to V,enteran opening in theV other part, said shank having alongitudinal opening and a transverse opening communicating therewith, a detent ball located in the transverse opening, a member rotatably mounted in the longitudinal opening, said member having a recess, one end lwall of which constitutes? a cam surface, a spring tending to move said member to force the cam surface 'against the ball and thusV move the ball outwardlyA in said transverse opening, said member alsov having a recess located approximately ninety degreesV away fromjand communicating with the iirst recess, the second recess being shallower than 'opening communicating therewith, a detent ball Vlocated in the Vtransverse opening, a member of generally cylindrical formV slidably mounted in ,thelongitudinal opening, said member having a recess`,oney endwall ofwhich constitutes a cam surface, a springtending to move said member V outwardly to force the cam surface againstthe ball andthus move the ball outwardly in said transverse opening, said member being rotatable in said longitudinal opening, whereby when said member .is Aturned to withdraw the recess from register with the ball the latter is preventedfrom 'moving inwardly in' said transverse opening far enough to permit disengagement` of the parts from each other.

, HARRY A. RHINEVAULT. 

